Ibvine james adaie



(No Model.)

I. J. ADAIR.

BOOK ADJUSTER.

Patented Feb. 8, 1887.

WITNESSES INVENTOR:

ATTORNEYS;

N. crzns. Pholo-Lnhographer. Washington. uv c.

UNITE STATES PATENT OEErcE.

IRVINE JAMES ADAIB, OF DALLAS, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD'TO EDWVARD J. GANNON, OF SAME PLACE.

BOOK-ADJUSTER.v

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 357,543, dated February 8, 1887. Application filed September 2, 1886. Serial No. 212,566. (No model.) I

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, IRVINE JAMES ADAIR, of Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Book-Adjusters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in a book-adjuster for leveling books, especially large heavy accountbooks-such as are used by book-keepers, &c.-and also for holding the leaves open and enabling the book to be closed at any time and opened again at the same place without any delay or trouble.

My improved book-adj uster will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved'book-adjuster arranged in its oper; 'ative position; and-Fig. 2 is avertical sectional View taken on line a: m, Fig. 1, of the drawings. Fig. 3 is a view of a holder made in a single piece.

The same letters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Referring to the several parts by letter, A indicates the circular base-piece, which, of course may be made of any other form, and B represents the adj usting-screw, the lower end of which is swiveled in the base-piece A, as shown, so that the screw maybe turned freely without disturbing the base-piece,while the upper end of the adj listing-screw is formed with the head B, of sufficient size to form a convenient hold for the fingers in mauipulating the screw.

G 0 indicate two rectangular leaves or plates, of wood or other material and of the requisite size, between the rear longitudinal edges of which is secured a strip, 1), of suitable thickness, thus'forming a rectangular block or plate having the deep longitudinal horizontal recess E; or the holder, instead of being constructed as above described, may be made of asingle piece of suitable material formed with the deep groove or recess E. The holder is formed, near its rear edge, with the vertical screw-threaded aperture F, in which the adjusting'screw works.

G is a V-shaped spring-catch, which has the ends of its parallel arms coiled, as at g, and secured to the outer edge of the holder, so that the cross-bar of the catch will bear on the leaves, as shown in the drawings.

In operationthe base A rests on the desk or table to one side of the book, and when the book is opened the cover of that side of it on which the least number of leaves are opened (the left-handside of the book in Fig. 1 of the drawings) is inserted in the deep horizontal groove or recess E of the holder, and the leaves on that side of the book opened on the upper side of the holder, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and the free ends of the springcatch G placed on the leaves, thereby holding the leaves in place, and prevent-ing the wind from-blowing them ovcrand thus losing the place, also holding the leaves fiat and firmly in place while being written on, and also enabling the book to be closed when through with at the time, and then opened again at the right place without any trouble or delay. The leaves and cover being thus secured, the adjusting-screw is turned, thusraising or lowering the holder, as required, until the two halves .or sides of the open book lieperfectly level,

as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings From theforegoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, operation, and advantages of my book-adjuster will be readily understood.

I am aware that a book-adjuster has been formed of a base, a verticallyadjustable toothed standard thereon, a platform on the upper end of the standard, and a U-shaped wire coiled to form springs and secured at its ends to the under side of the platform, and I do not claim the same, broadly, as of myinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with the holder having the horizontal longitudinal recess and the vertical screw-threaded aperture, of the basepiece and the adjusting-screw swiveled at its lower end in the said base-piece, as and for I the purpose herein set forth.

2. The combination, with the holder having catch, arranged as described, as and for the purposes herein set forth.

the horizontal longitudinal recess and the ver- IRVINE JAMES ADAIR' 5 tical screw-threaded aperture, of the base- \Vitnesses:

piece, the adjusting-serewswiveled at its lower 1 WV. H. THOMAS,

end in the said base-piece, and the spring- THos. L. PERKINS. 

